It’s been over a year since Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket and the decision continues to spark debate among fans and former cricketers. Joining the debate, 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev admitted he was disappointed that Kohli had stepped away from the longest format, insisting that the former Indian captain still has the ability to represent the country in red-ball cricket.Kohli brought down the curtain on his illustrious Test career on May 12, 2025, ending a remarkable 14-year journey. He finished with 9,230 runs in 123 Tests, including 30 centuries, and remains India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches. The big batsman retired ahead of India’s tour of England, saying he had “given everything” to the format.Reflecting on Kohli’s decision, Kapil said he would have preferred the star to continue playing instead of seeking punishment for his Test career.“I wasn’t happy when he retired from Test cricket. It’s not about 10,000 runs or any milestone. I felt if he had kept away from the backlash for six months, there was a good chance he would have played for India again,” Kapil told Sports Tak.
‘Come back, work hard and come back’
The legendary all-rounder feels that Kohli should have remained patient, even if he faced disappointment from the selectors or the team management.“If the selectors didn’t pick him, that’s fine. If the captain didn’t pick him, that’s fine. Come back, work hard, score runs in domestic cricket or wherever you play. He would come back because he still has the ability of a Test match player,” Kapil said.Kapil also compared Kohli’s fiery on-court personality to that of tennis legend John McEnroe, suggesting that some elite athletes perform best when driven by emotion and conflict.“He had that ability, although he was sometimes a little too enthusiastic. Looking at Virat, I think of John McEnroe. Until he fought, he couldn’t give his best performance,” Kapil said.“Some players, like Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin, keep their heads down and let their performances do the talking. But others accept challenges and thrive on that intensity. That’s why I mentioned McEnroe. He was always arguing with the umpire. I could never do that, but it was fascinating to watch,” he added.
Kohli is now focused on ODI cricket
Although Kohli has retired from Tests and T20Is, he continues to represent India in ODIs and will feature in the next three ODIs against England starting July 14.
